


A Simple Truth

by SweetInsanityWrites (SweetInsanityArts)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Endgame fix it, Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Short & Sweet, i didnt like the ending so i made my own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21563665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetInsanityArts/pseuds/SweetInsanityWrites
Summary: little thing I wrote to make me forget about the Endgame ending
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 5
Kudos: 67





	A Simple Truth

It all felt like slow motion and sped up at the same time. The golden gauntlet rested snugly around the Titan’s giant fist. He snapped. Nothing happened. Stark raised his hand, colourful gems glistening in the dim light. 

The blonde alien-lady was the first one to react. Even before the Iron Man’s finger could touch his thumb, she wrapped her arms around his stomach, like she was hugging from behind. Thor followed, his big hands on both the damaged armour and the girl’s back. 

Bucky didn’t even have to see him to know Steve was on his way. Without hesitation, he jumped towards the man who had moved heaven and hell to try and kill him. 

The snap echoed over the battlefield, somehow very quiet but deafening at the same time.

Whatever it was that Shuri had done to his brain to wipe away as many Hydra memories as possible, it must’ve been very effective because the Winter Soldier could not remember having ever felt this much pain. Raw energy shot through his body, pain exploding from his very bones, blood filling in his mouth. He didn’t let go. 

He could feel a thud, another body pressed against his. It lessened the painful flow of electricity soaring through him, but instead, his cheek smashed into burning hot metal. 

The stench of burned flesh and smoking plastic filled his nostrils. Screams rang in his ears.

Just when he thought it was more than he could take, it stopped. 

There was just silence. 

***

“You okay, pal?” Steve’s voice sounded different. Warmer. Louder. Slurred. If he didn’t know any better, Bucky would’ve said the guy was tipsy. 

“Yeah. Just … a lot of people.” 

He used to like parties. Crowds. Being the center of attention. Not so much anymore, though thanks to Shuri’s excellent work, he couldn’t remember why. He lifted his head, twisting around to see Steve’s silhouette outlined against the colourful lights in the building behind him. One week since the battle. Not enough for the world to recover from what had happened. But enough for them to celebrate. 

“If it weren’t for Carol, this could’ve been a funeral.” He said softly. No matter what had happened between him and Stark, seeing the guy break down in tears as his daughter hugged him in his hospital bed had really hit him hard. 

“If it weren’t for all of us. I don’t really remember what exactly went down but Peter said everyone who was close and fast enough latched on to Tony.”

“She took the first full blast of it though. Still can’t believe she was the first to get up and fly around again.”

“I think we both learned not to underestimate a woman protecting her loved ones a long time ago, Buck.” 

Steve dropped to the ground next to him, his movements unusually clumsy. It seemed to confirm a creeping suspicion Bucky had voiced to Shuri the other day. He held out his hand, steadying his friend. His palm dropped on the other man’s hand. He allowed himself to feel the warm skin on his for just a moment. The fight wasn’t over yet. Not for them. Steve’s gaze rested on Bucky, almost as if he had had the same thought. He wasn’t sure he dared to even dream of it. Not before tomorrow’s mission. 

“I wanna start painting again. When it’s all done.” The words really did sound slightly blurry. “I mean, look at this. I dont think a photograph could ever capture this the right way.” 

Bucky nodded. There was something about Wakanda, not just the people and their advanced technology but the land itself, that just felt alive in a way that only a brush would be able to do justice. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill his lungs, listening to the muffled music and voices behind them, to the shuffling and rustling of critters in the underground. Something was howling in the distance. Without opening his eyes, Bucky leaned to the side, pressing against Steve’s shoulder. Just for a moment he had to make sure he was still there. 

“You still sure you wanna go tomorrow?” He whispered. 

“I have to. Everyone else would be in way more danger. It will only be a second to you, Buck.”

“Only if you do come back.”

“I promise you there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here. I will come back.”

He wanted to believe it. He really did.

***

Sam looked less worried. He stood with his arms crossed and watched Banner run around frantically, babbling science-y words as he went through the plan one last time. 

Of course Sam wasn’t worried. He didn’t know what was waiting for Steve in the past. And he hadn’t seen drunk Steve trip over a branch in the dark last night, didnt see the scratches on his underarm heal slower than it should. At the very least though, Sam should’ve learned by now that Steve Rogers was the most reckless person in the world and that was always a good enough reason to worry.

Sam and Steve hugged goodbye. 

Bucky and Steve hugged goodbye, making jokes one last time. 

The machine whirred and Steve disappeared. 

Then they waited.

According to plan, it would only be a few minutes max. til Captain America’s shield would reappear, dragging the big dorky man back with it. 

Nobody spoke or moved. They stared, the tension growing with every second. A part in the back of Bucky’s head was half expecting the sound of screeching gears and a blue phone box. 

Six agonizing minutes. 

Seven minutes. 

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

It felt like an eternity. 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

They whipped around simultaneously. The vibranium shield looked a little worse for wear. Captain America was wearing his old armour, the one Stark made for him when he was with the Howlies. His face looked different. Somehow… older. It was barely visible but -

Bucky had spent enough time staring into that face to notice. 

Banner was the first to speak. 

“Did it work?” 

“All back to normal. No butterflies trampled or wars started. Though I wish I could’ve ended one.” 

Satisfied with the result, the scientist turned back to the machine.

Sam started trotting towards Steve, his arms outstretched.

Bucky remained. 

Watching them hug. Watching Steve murmur something to Sam. Watching Sam argue with whatever he’d heard. Watching Steve be okay.

Steve pressed his shield against Sam’s chest. Sam held on to it with one hand, saluting with the other, only half joking.

With a nod, he signaled Bucky to follow him and disappeared between the trees. 

“What happened?” 

The trees stood tall and proud, sunlight filtering through the branches, letting spots of light dance across the forest floor. It shone on Steve’s head like a golden halo. 

“Had some trouble getting the stone in ‘70 back. Was fine in the end though.” 

“You ran headfirst into trouble, didn’t you.” 

“They needed me.” Steve stopped, turning to look at him. “Just one last time.”

“How long?”

“5 years. Undercover, of course. Well hidden. Only two people who knew who I was and why I was there.”

“Stark and Carter.” 

“Yeah.” He laughed softly. “Took some time to explain. Especially when I realized the serum was wearing off. Not fast but enough for them to notice. And I couldn’t even explain to them why without giving away what brought me to them in the first place. And yet they trusted me. Followed me without doubt. Without question.” 

“Why didn’t you stay?” Bucky asked hoarsely, the question burning through his throat. “For her?” 

“I loved Peggy. I always will. But she lived her life. Made her choices. I have no right to take that away from her.” He bit his lip. “Besides. I don’t think I could’ve stayed. Those years were hard enough as it was. Living those years, knowing what was happening out there, what they were doing to you. I would’ve snapped. Burned down everything in my path to find you.”

The forest fell silent around them. No breeze, no critters rustling in the leaves, no hooves thumping on the ground. It was as if the world around them was holding it’s breath. Waiting. 

Bucky stepped closer, their shoulders touching, just like the night before, like the many times they’d stood with the faintest touch, watching fireworks and sunsets and snowstorms. 

“What’s next for you?”

“I dont know. Rest, maybe.”

“Stay with me.” Bucky said, letting his knuckles brush against Steve’s. His stomach fluttered. “The battle is over. T’Challa offered me the hut for as long as I need it. It’s not much but. It’s more than we used to have. Never cold, never hungry, never alone.”

“You want to be roommates again?” Steve cocked his head. 

It took a lot of self-control for Bucky to not roll his eyes at him. “Stevie …” He pressed the back of his hand against Steve’s, inviting, almost begging him. “I see the way you look at me. The way I look at you. The way I always have. You can’t keep fighting forever, you have to come home.” 

Why was this so difficult? 

It had always been a truth between them. He knew they both knew. 

“I know. I want to.”

His friend’s hand moved, fingers interlacing. It felt right. 

Bucky exhaled, slowly, letting the tension wash from his tired muscles. He could hear the sounds of the forest again, coming alive around him, felt the warmth of the sunlight on his skin. 

“Can I kiss you?” Steve breathed softly. 

Bucky nodded, the rapid beating of his heart making it unable to form words. Their lips touched softly, their bodies pressing together, not with the burning physical desire that Bucky remembered from a life long ago, but with a need that came from deep within him, holding on to each other so no war and death and monster could ever get between them again.

He let himself drown in the sensation, their mouths locking, their arms wrapped tight around each other, his hands running over the worn-down fabric, finding the strips of exposed skin to run his fingertips across. He was falling and being caught at the same time. 

When he pulled away, pressing their foreheads together to keep that feeling trapped right there between them, he felt the tears burning in his eyes. 

“So that’s what it’s supposed to feel like.” He said without meaning to.

Steve cupped Bucky’s head in his hand and pressed his lips to his forehead. A ripple of warmth and affection spread over him. There was such a tenderness to it all, so much honesty to gesture, it made Bucky’s heart ache in the most beautiful way. 

He knew it didn’t need saying. It had always been there, clear for them for longer than he could remember. It was in in the soft touch of his thumb on Steve’s cheek and in Steve’s kiss to his forehead. It didn’t need saying but he wanted to say it anyway. 

“I love you, Stevie.”

“I love you, Buck.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> so, I woke up at 3 AM with a burning inside me to write at least the smallest oneshot that would make the Endgame ending at least a bit more bearable, so so yeah this is what happened with that
> 
> wrote this half asleep, so i apologize if it was a bit of a mess 
> 
> also, i never rewatched EG and tried to stay away from it so i dont really remember the exact details but i also didnt care to look it up again, im sorry


End file.
